Electrical indicator



F. W.-TEMPLE.

ELECTRICAL INDICATOR.

APPLICATloN'FlLI-:D sEPT.25,1911.

1,347,421. Patented .my 20,1920.

F. w. TEMPLE lil FRED w. TEMPLE, 0F KALMZOO, MICHIGAN.

' mineralen. mmcnon. r

Specification of Letters Patent. i Patented July 20, 1920 Application illed September 25, 1817. Serial- No. 183,093.

To all whom it may concern.' gBe it known that I, FRED W. TnMrmu, a citizen of the United States, residing at Kalamazoo, Michiganlhave invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electrical Indicators, of which the following is a. speciication.

A Thisinvention relates to improvements in electrical indicators.

The main objects of this invention are: First, to provide in, connection with an electric door bell system an electric light which is continuously illuminated except when the push button of the door bell system is actuated to ring the bell, the light serving to illuminate a number plate and name card.

Second, to provide an improved support for the push button, electric light, number plate and name card. f

Third, to provide in a structure of the class described, a resistance which is connected in series with the lamp used for illuminating the indicator, and which may be adjusted to maintain the current flowing through the lamp at less than the value required for normal brilliancy, whereby the life of the lamp is materially increased and, on account of the low current consumption, it is unnecessary to provide a switch for cutting out the lamp during the daylight' hours; the use of the resistance also making it possible to use lamps of the samevoltage in combination with -sources of current of different voltages.

Further objects, and objects relating to details and economies of construction and operation will definitely appear. from the detailed description to follow.

I accomplish the objects of my invention by the devices and means described in the following. specification.` The invention` is clearly defined and pointed out in the claims.

A structure constituting a preferred embodiment of my invention is illustrated in' the accompanying drawing, forming a part of this specification, in which: 4

Figure I is a front end elevation oit my improved indicator. f Fig. II is an enlarged detail section taken l on a line corresponding to line 2 2 of Fig. I.

Fig.l I II is a front elevation of the back of the casing, showing the parts mounted thereon.

Fig. IV is an end elevation of the rear' end of the casing of m the back and therefrom.

Fig. V is an enlarged detail section taken (y improved indicator, associate parts being removed on fa line corresponding to line 5 5 of Fig: III. l. A

ig, VI is a detail sectional view taken on a line corresponding to line 6 6 of Figs. II and IV, showing a name card in position at the bottom of the casing.

Fig. VII is a diagrammatic view of the electrical connections of my improved indlcator.

In the drawing similar reference characters refer to similar parts throughout the several views, and the sectional views are taken looking in the direction o f the little arrows at the ends of the section lines.

Referring tothe drawing, the reference character 1 indicates a cylindrical casing, the rear end of which is closed by means of the back lplate 2 having a peripheral fiange 3, provided with a depression forming a keeper or seat 4 for an inwardly eX- tending lug 5 at the rear end of the casing. At the opposite side a screw 6 extends through the casing and the iange of the back and cooperates with the retaining lug v5 to secure the back in place. Holes 7 in the back plate are adapted to receive screws, nails or other means for securing the casing to a Wall or other suitable support.

The front of the casing is apertured, as indicated at 8, and the edges of the aperture are iianged inwardly, -as shown at 9. A transparent plate 10 rests against the iiange 9 and a translucent number plate 11, having suitable numbers thereon, as shown in Fig. I, is held against the rear side of the transparent plate 10 by means of a split ring 12, which engages in the circumferem tial grooves 13 of the casing.

A block 14, of insulation, is secured to the back plateby means of a screw 15, or any other suitable means. An electric light L, is secured to the block 14 by means of the contact clip 16, which, in connection with the contact strip 17, form a socket for said light. The contact strip 17, spring contact 18 and terminal strip 19 are secured to the block 14 by the screw 20. The end 21 of the spring contact 18 cooperates with the contact 22 which is secured to, and in electrical connectionwith the back. The push button 23 is secured to the free end of the spring contact 18 and projects through'an .the transparent plate 10.

aperture 24 in the front end of the casing. A binding screw 25 coacts with the terminal strip 19 to secure one terminal of the bell circuit 26. The other-terminal of the bell circuit is secured to the terminal strip- 27 which is grounded upon the back by means kof the rivet 28,-see Fig. V.

A resistance coil 29 is wound in a vgroove 29 on the periphery of the block 14 and one of its ,ends is connected to the clip 1 6, while the other end thereof is connected to the terminal' strip 27.

A name card 30 may be pasted to the bottom of the casing and is visible through The electrical connections are diagramf matically illustrated in Fig. VII, in which upon. The otherl terminal of the bell circuit is grounded uponjthe back at the same point at which the resistance 29 is grounded.

When the spring contact 18 is out of contact with contact 22, the current goes through the light and the resistance 29, the combined resistance of the light, resistance 29V and bell D being such that the current is reduced so that it is insulicient to operate the bell. When, however, the spring contact 18 isbrought into contact with the contact 22 by operating the push button- 23, the lamp and resistance 29 are shortclrcuited and the currentk strength increases suffiu ciently to operate the bell D. It will be seen that when the bell D is not operating, the light will illuminate the number'lplate and the` name card.

By connecting the resistance 29 in series with the lamp, I am able to use lamps of the same voltage-with sources of current of different voltages and to maintain the current at a value less than that required for normal brilliancy, whereby the life of the lamp is materially increased, andthe current consumption is so small that it is unnecessary to provide a'switch to cut out the lamp during daylight hours. To adjust theresistance to maintain the proper current in the lamp it is merely necessary to unwind a portion of the outer end thereof, break it off and clamp the new terminal beneath the correspondingV terminal clip.

, Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent is: f

' 1..Iln a structure of the -class described,

the combination with a casin having an 'open rear end, the forward en of said casing being provided. with an aperture having a flanged edge, a transparent plate resting against said flange, a number plate, means for holding said number plate against said transparent plate, a back removably secured in the open end of said casing, an insulation block secured to said back, an electric light, a socket therefor mounted upon vsaid block, a resistance mounted -in a groove on said block, one end of said resistance being electrically connected to one contact of said socket, means for connecting one termina] of anelectric door bell circuit to the other contact of said lamp socket, a spring contact mounted on said block and connected to said last named socket contact, means' for, forcing the free end of said spring'contact into electrical connection with said 'b ack, and means for connectin the opposite terminal of said door bell clrcuit to said back.

2. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a casing having a back removably securedinl one end thereof, the opposite end being provided with an aperture, -the edges of which are ianged inwardly, a transparent plate resting against said flange, .a translucent number plate, means for holding said number plate, comprising a split ring, said casing bein provided with a circumferential groove or freceiving said ring, an insulating block secured to vsaid back, a resistance mounted on the periphery thereof, one end of said resistance being grounded upon said back, a

lamp socket mounted upon said block, the

opposite end of said resistance being con-v nected to one contact of said lamp socket, a spring contact connected with the-other contact of said lamp socket, means for bringing the free end of said spring contact into electrical connection wlth said casing back, comprising a push button extending through an aperture in said casing, means for' grounding 'one terminal of the bell circuit upon said back, and means for connecting the opposite end of said 'bell circuit with said spring contact.

3. In a structure of the class described, 115 the combination with a casing having a back, the opposite end being provided with an aperture, the edges of which are flanged in- ',wardly, a transparent plate resting against said flange, a 'translucent numberplate, 120 means for holding said number plate, an insulating block secured to said back, a resistance mounted thereon, one end of said resistance being grounded upon said back, a lamp socket mounted upon said: block, the opposite end of said resistance being con- 'nected to one contact ofsaid lamp socket,

means for bringing the free end of said -spring contact into electrical connection with said casing, means for grounding one open rear end and provided at its front end with an aperture having a flanged edge, of a number plate, means for securing said num-` ber plate over said aperture comprising a split ring detachably secured to said casing, a back removably secured in the .rear end of said casing, a block of insulation secured to said back, an electric light and resistance mounted on said block and connected to form a series -circuit, means for connecting the opposite terminals of a door bell circuit to the opposite ends of said series circuit, one end of said series circuit being grounded upon said back, and means for connecting the opposite end of said series circuit with said back and thereby short circuiting said series circuit comprising a spring contact and means for urging said spring contact into contact with said back, comprising a push button extending through an aperture in said casing.

5. In a structure of the class described, the combination with a casing provided at its front end With an aperture having a flanged edge, of a number plate, means for securing said number plate over'said aperture comprising a split ring detachably secured to said casing, a block of insulation secured to said casing, an electric light and re' sistance mounted on said block and con! nected to form a series circuit, means for connecting the opposite terminals of a door bell circuit to the opposite ends of said series circuit, one end of said series circuit being grounded upon said casing. and means for connecting the opposite end of said series circuit with said casing and thereby short circuiting said series circuit comprising a spring contact`and means for urging said spring contact into vcontact with said casing, comprising a push button extending through an aperture in said casing.

6. In a structure of the class described, the

combination with a casing provided at its front end With an aperture having a flanged edge, of a number plate, means for securing said number plate over said aperture, a block of insulation secured to said casing, an electric light and resistance mounted on said block and connected to form a series circuit, means for connecting the opposite terminals of a door bell circuit to the opposite ends of said series circuit, one end of said series circuit being grounded upon said casing, and means for short circuiting said series circuit.

7. The combination with a casing, having an openl rear end and an apertured front end, of a translucent number plate mounted in said aperture, a back secured in said open end, a block otl insulation mounted upon said back, a door bell circuit comprising an electric door bell and a source of current, an electric light mounted upon said insulation block and normally in series with said door bell, and means for short circuiting Asaid lamp, comprising a spring Contact mounted on said block and means for actuatirgsaid spring contact comprising a push button extending through an aperture in said casing.

8. The combination with a casing having an apertured -front end, of a translucent number plate mounted in said aperture, a block of insulation mounted upon said casing, a door bell circuit comprising an electric. door bell. and a source of current, au electric. light mounted upon said insulation block and normally in series with said door bell, and means for short circuiting said lamp, comprising a spring contact mounted on said block and means for actuating said spring contact comprising a push button extending through an aperture in said casing.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto set my hand and seal in the presence of two wit- FRED XV. TEMPLE. [11. s] lVitnesses JOHN CAssIDY, Jr., JOSEPH JACOBS.

'nesses 

